


High Society Fashion

by tjmystic



Series: My Fair Lady AU [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, My Fair Lady AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-08
Updated: 2013-02-08
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:49:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/675100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tjmystic/pseuds/tjmystic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gold and Jefferson shop for an Ascot dress for Belle</p>
            </blockquote>





	High Society Fashion

High Society Fashion  
Rating: PG-13

For anonymousnerdgirl, who wanted a cheer-me-up ficlet 

Summary: “Accustomed to Her Face” verse, between chapters 7 & 8; Jefferson takes Belle shopping for a dress and Gold does some shopping of his own

 

“I still don’t see why you’re coming,” Jefferson mumbled, readjusting his top hat so that it shaded all of one ear but left the other side of his head uncovered. Gold frequently thought that the man could never look more ridiculous only to be proved wrong moments later. 

“I already told you,” Gold huffed, leaning back against the cab’s seats. ”I have a business meeting of sorts with the owner of the dress-shop.”

Colonel Hatter eyed him carefully, his mouth quirking up so that Gold knew he was aware of the lie. ”Of course. Those must be positively lucrative, what with you taking a three month vacation from your business affairs.”

Gold snapped his cane across the younger man’s knees. ”I don’t particularly like it when people insinuate I’m lying, Jefferson. You of all people ought to know that.”

“You’re very feisty when you’re angry, professor.” Gold was half-tempted to beat the boy again just for the wink he gave him. Thankfully, Jefferson was smarter than he acted. ”Alright, fine. I’ll leave it be for today. But let there be no mistakes - as soon as the races are over, we will be talking about this.”

He nodded vaguely, knowing that nothing of the sort was going to happen if he had his way about it. 

It wasn’t his plan to accompany Jefferson to the ladies’ boutique. He’d made it perfectly clear last night (or very early this morning, rather) that the colonel would have better luck charming the shopkeepers than he ever would. Ergo, Jefferson was the best choice if they wanted a fine enough gown for Belle to wear to the races. But, for some annoying reason that still hadn’t made itself apparent to him, he realized that he hadn’t said anything about Belle’s dress for the Embassy Ball. He supposed he could’ve just mentioned it on the colonel’s way out, or have Miss Lucas pick it up for herself later in the month, but that didn’t feel quite right. He reassured himself that it was because Belle needed to look like a princess for the court, and only his own fine eye for details could achieve such a thing.

The truth - that he’d be unreasonably jealous if the colonel got to pick what she wore for the pivotal moment of their relationship - was tucked safely away in the compartment of his mind he numbed by drinking. 

A faint tapping caught his attention, and he noticed with a start that Mr. Dove was at the automobile door. It seemed that they’d reached their destination. 

“This place seems rather new,” Jefferson said curiously, looking at the ornate overhangs above the building. The name “La Bouff’s” was painted in bright pink lacquer over the door. For some reason, the color terrified the professor. ”You’re sure this is the place Miss Lucas recommended?” 

Gold nodded tersely. ”She has it on the highest authority, apparently, that this shop stocks the best of high society fashion. I don’t have a damn clue what that means, but we might as well look.” 

He waved at Mr. Dove to let him know how long they’d be before stepping into the shop. It was just as the outside suggested - heavily perfumed, very plush and frilly, and the color of freshly spun candyfloss. He tried not to jump when the bell overhead alerted the owner of their presence. 

“Give me just a moment, suga,” a woman simpered. Gold had to bite his tongue from saying, “New Orleans, Louisiana”. 

At least he could be sure the workers here were prompt, though - it really seemed like less than a second before someone appeared. Specifically, a rather young woman with a blonde bob and pearls that went down to her waist. 

“How can I help you dolls?” she asked, practically bouncing to their side. Jefferson seemed thoroughly amused with her, which was no small relief to Gold - at least his part of the job would go through smoothly. 

“We’re looking for a dress for the Ascot Races,” the colonel smiled, doffing his hat to the girl. She giggled. ”But I’m afraid neither of us knows what we’re looking for. Might you assist us?”

By the look in her eyes, Gold rather thought she’d prefer to be helping Jefferson alone, and certainly not with dress shopping. ”Well aren’t you prim and proper? You’ll convince me you’re prince or something talking like that, honey. Come on, then - we’ll find your fiancee just what she needs in two shakes of a lamb’s tail!”

It bothered Professor Gold more than he cared to admit that Jefferson didn’t deny Belle being his fiancee. He shook it off before it made him go crazy, though, and tapped on the woman’s shoulder.

“Might I speak with Madame La Bouff?” he asked sharply. ”I have something of a business proposal for her.”

“You’re lookin’ at her, suga,” she laughed. ”I know I don’t hardly look like the business ownin’ type, but that’s me. What did you wanna talk about?”

Gold flushed red, and turned even redder when Jefferson smirked knowingly in his direction. ”Nothing of extreme importance I assure you. In fact, one of your assistants handle it while you take Colonel Hatter shopping.”

“A colonel?” Miss Le Bouff blushed. ”My, your fiancee is even luckier than I thought!”

She turned back to Gold for barely a second. “I’ll get Madame de la Grande Bouche right on it, sir,” the little blonde laughed, already tugging the colonel down a row of patterned shoes. 

Gold spun angrily on his heel, intent on making a dramatic exit or something of the sort to get away from the blasted colonel and the blasted little woman who thought he and Belle were engaged. His plan was rather shot to hell, though, when his cane slipped on the train of a mannequin’s gown and sent him colliding into a stand of shimmering ballgowns. 

He would’ve cursed at them as per usual if they were made of ordinary material, but something about the one he’d grabbed ahold of kept his attention. It was a beautiful thing to be sure, all purple silk and delicate seams. He imagined how lovely the color would set off Belle’s hair. Thought about how easily the seems could be ripped to get the dress off of her.

He shook his head and kept looking. The cut was modest enough to fit decorum, but scant enough to allow Belle’s figure (and again he had to shake himself) to be seen. It would cinch in particularly at the waist, which, after their experience in the library, Gold knew was thin enough to need the extra taking in. 

It wasn’t just that, though. The silk was sheathed in a filmy sheet of gold. It would be just enough to lay his claim on her, without ever acknowledging anything about his true feelings. At least, that would be the case until he saw her move in the damned thing. At that point, he’d be lucky if he didn’t embarrass himself trying to seduce her.

A rather busty woman came out from behind the curtain on his left, her hair done up in such tight curls that they looked like they were still in rollers.

“Do you need help finding anything?” she asked, her voice almost unnervingly low. Even that wasn’t enough to turn his head, though. He was still struck dumb at the sight of this violet gown.

He was man, for God’s sake! Dresses weren’t supposed to make his heart pound and his face flush. But then, that wasn’t true either, was it? If it weren’t for the woman he was imagining in said dress, he’d be right as rain. 

“Ooh, I see that Miss Merriweather’s designs have caught your eye!” she squealed, no small feat for a woman with such a low voice. 

“I suppose so,” he shrugged, unable to look away from the purple silk. It would look so lovely against his Belle’s skin (and why did he keep calling her his Belle?). Even better, it would let her know he’d been paying attention when she spoke of how women wanted to wear purple to look richer. It would give her a tie to her past while still tethering her to him. That was all he needed to decide him.

“I’d like to place an order, dearie…”


End file.
